Blog entry

Every Flower - Artisan Jewelry by Shadow Dog Designs

EVERY FLOWER IS A SOUL BLOSSOMING IN NATURE

Gerard de Nerval

Anyone who knows me well, knows that I love growing flowers.  Since moving to the Desert Southwest, it has been a long experiment to see what survives and what doesn’t.  Not only does the summer heat make some plants struggle, but we had an unexpected deep freeze this past winter.  But since the monsoon season has arrived early this year with much needed rain (yay!) and cooler temperatures (yay!), my flower beds are thriving.  The zinnias that were grown from seed have just started to bloom - they are an experiment so we’ll see how they do.  Grandpa Otts morning glories and sunflowers are aso blooming, along with the yellow and native lantana (which started back in March) and cheerful moss-rose purslane.  And, of course, the bright fuchsia pink Knockout roses keep chugging right along.  An all-time favorite flower, hollyhocks, are just about bloomed out.  I've been taking photos and hope to share some in a blog later on.  I revel in the beauty of flowers!

Perfect Pink Pretties for Valentines Day - Artisan Handmade

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, in just over a week, and the colors of Valentine’s Day - red, pink and white - are seen everywhere.  Why these particular colors ??? Through the ages, red represents passionate love, beauty, courage and respect. White symbolizes true love, innocence, purity and charm.  Since pink is a combination of red and white, taking the properties of both colors, it reveals a gentler, kinder love, perfect happiness, tenderness and grace.

Since pink is such a beautiful and meaningful combination of red and white, I decided to pull together a blog, “Perfect Pink Pretties for Valentine’s Day,” featuring a wide range of handmade gifts using pink as a major palette in the designs.  You'll find most of these items are not your "traditional" Valentine's inspired gifts.  And that's OK!  It means they can be worn longer, sometimes year round, and not just for Valentine's Day itself.  I hope you find something for your loved one . . .  something that's a perfect pink pretty!